Semester at Wroxton College - An American Campus in England

Without my semester at Wroxton College, I don’t believe I would be the same person I am today without it. This experience was truly one of a lifetime and has forged memories, friendships, and learning that I will never forget. I chose to attend FDU because of their study abroad program at Wroxton and the staff there taught me more than I could have ever imagined. The opportunity to travel with the staff as well was very beneficial and made me feel safe and secure. My family also had the opportunity to visit and enjoyed every second of it. My hope is that this program and tradition continues for students in the future so that they can too grow and become more well rounded and experience different cultures outside of America.

Wroxton College is like no other program I’ve ever experienced! I’ve never been more challenged, more prepared and more committed to education than my time across the pond. I firmly believe that Wroxton changed me for the better - opened my eyes to so many different people and the chance at opportunities that I would’ve never had, had I not attended. The staff was marvelous there and I couldn’t think of a better semester of college. The only downfall was that I couldn’t be there for a full year!

My one semester at Wroxton has been one of (if not the most) prominent memory in my academic journey. I hope it remains the same to future students, especially those that have never been abroad, away from their comfort zones in their lives. I miss every single person there, every lesson, every tutorial, every meal, and of course every tea time! It is a full package British experience that I doubt being offered in a similar manner elsewhere. It makes me smile every now and then whenever I recall what I referred to as ‘the best spring in my life.’

Wroxton college was my best experience of college and I would recommend it to anyone. You become a family while staying in the abbey and you are given opportunities to find yourself and become independent. It is an easy and accessible way to travel and learn many new things from a different perspective. All of the professors and staff love the students and want the best for everyone. They do their best to make it feel like a home and it does. They welcome everyone back with open arms and you can all it your home away from home.

The many comments I got when I told people I was studying abroad were "The experience will change you". I could never have predicted how much. My Wroxton experience didn't just change me though, it shaped me into the person I wanted to be. From the moment I stepped onto the grounds, I was welcomed with open arms, into a place that cherished learning, friendship, and fun. Each professor took the time to really teach me, and help me understand each subject I took fully, even after I ended up being sent home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They helped me learn but also treated me like a person. It was the first time that I felt the professors truly wanted to get to know me as a person. I also ended up meeting some of the greatest friends I have ever had. We bonded over our experiences and travels. I only have the staff, professors, and the Spring 2020 class of Wroxton to thank for helping me become the confident person that I always wanted to be.

A simple curiosity about my life brought me to Wroxton College. Truly a life-changing experience. I made "sisters" for life who challenged my interpersonal skills. I became a new person with new aspirations. My experience got me out of my comfort zone and brought out a new and more confident me. At Wroxton, I was at my happiest state in life, body and soul. Wroxton is now my UK home even though I have family whom I can go home to in all state of the UK. Now, I plan to work in London 2 years after graduation! See you then Wroxton!

I studied at Wroxton exactly a year ago and it was the best experience I've ever had. The opportunities provided to me at Wroxton exceeded all of my expectations. I stayed in a beautiful room (room 10!) and visited so many exciting places. Above all though, my biggest kudos will always go to the staff at Wroxton College. The faculty there are the most kind, welcoming, and supportive people I've ever met, and I feel absolutely blessed to know them all. I miss everyone so much, and thank them for all they've done for me.
What's great about the travel possibilities through Wroxton College is that there are free bus trips every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as two three-day trips to Edinburgh and Paris, fully sponsored by the college. You also get ten days after midterms to travel wherever you please! I went to Italy and Spain, but also went to Belgium on a different weekend!
I would recommend Wroxton to anyone and everyone. It's cliche to say, but it will without a doubt change your life for the better.

I knew going into college that I wanted to study abroad and specifically study abroad in England. Wroxton College gave me the perfect opportunity to learn in the traditional English way of learning, tutorial style, while living in a historical abbey but still having the opportunity to travel and explore. Wroxton College is accommodating to any and all majors as long as you plan appropriately. They also offer different programs with different lengths of time to fit anyone’s needs.

Living in the Wroxton Abbey is like stepping back in time. The history of the Abbey is something in and of itself that can keep someone entertained for a semester. Each room has its own piece of history. Some may be concerned that with a typical class of 45-50 it would be difficult to find a quite place in the Abbey but there are plenty of little hide aways that you could always find the space you need. Or if you would rather the comfort of your own room, most of the rooms at Wroxton are singles with on suite bathrooms.

When studying at Wroxton for a full semester, you learn in the traditional English style of learning. Typically you have 2-3 hours of lecture for each class a week and a 1 hour tutorial every other week. Lectures from range anywhere from a typical professor lecture to watching a movie, going on a trip, or having a special guest speaker. For tutorials, the class is broken up into groups of 3-4 and every other week a subject is assigned that the group is expected to present on. It gives the students the opportunity to take what they have learned in lecture and in their own studies and present it back to their professor in great detail and in fun and creative ways, for example as a podcast like I had to do for one of my English tutorials. This also gives the professors an opportunity to discuss on a more personal level anything that a student may not fully understand.
Grading at Wroxton is mostly weighed on essays and finals. All classes are different but for me I had essays dues about every 2 weeks between the 5 classes I was taking. All Wroxton students also take a class called The Anatomy of Contemporary Britain or known to students as “Inter”. Inter classes are taught by all the professors at Wroxton and focus on modern day England. Lectures include topics such as politics, culture, literature, art, sports and leisure. When you first arrive at Wroxton, you are given a list of topics and questions that you then have to write essays about for Inter. These essays are done at your leisure and are due in week 10 but these are the least stressful of the essays because they are based on your experience while living in England. For example, as a hospitality major, I choose to write an Inter essay about the concessions at a Premier League soccer match we went to.

While spending a semester at Wroxton, classes are scheduled Monday-Thursday and then there are trips every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Most trips are not mandatory but there are some that are required for classes. You sign up for trips the week before and give a 5£ deposit which you then get back as long as you show up on the bus. There are also 3 long weekend trips throughout the semester, London, Edinburgh, and Paris. These give the students 3-4 days to explore the cities and do whatever they want to do.

Wroxton College is located in the small, white, and close knit Wroxton Village. I never personally felt in danger while at the Abbey or roaming around the village. Larger Banbury is just a few miles up the road and it again is a very safe community. Wroxton has struck rules about who is allowed into the abbey and they keep track of who is in and out of the abbey using firecards. Wroxton students are also given Wroxton IDs so they can identify themselves as a Wroxton student.

Studying at Wroxton is an experience that you will never forget. You become a part of a large alumni pool who you can share experiences with no matter when the studied at Wroxton. Because Wroxton College is just a campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, being at Wroxton provides you with all the normal support networks you would have at either of the New Jersey campuses or the Vancouver Campus. Wroxton does their best to balance all the hard work and long hours you put in with dance parties and fun events. They hold multiple formal dinners throughout the semester which is typically followed by the pub being open in the buttery and a DJ in the lecture hall. We also had trivia night and a scavenger hunt throughout the abbey. I was there in the Fall semester so we had a Halloween party and special Thanksgiving dinner. We also decorated the Wroxton Christmas tree and were given presents from Dean Baldwin. All personal books based on what he has learned about us throughout the semester. This goes to show the deep connection you grow with professors at Wroxton. Because you live and study all in the same environment, the professors and staff at Wroxton see it all. I always found there are there to lend a helping hand or useful advice on anything you are dealing with.

The Wroxton Experience is something I recommend to everyone who mentions studying abroad. I met my best friends while at Wroxton and found my home in England. It helped me grow as a student and as a person. It talk me that you can appropriately mix homework and classes with travel, fun, and a trip to the pub. A semester at Wroxton will be the longest 15 weeks when you are there in the middle of writing essays but once you look back on the time, you will realize it all went too quick.